Key Votes

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Vote Smart provides easy access to congressional and state voting records and maintains a collection of key votes grouped by issue. Vote Smart uses the following criteria to select key votes:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

Vote Smart provides a summary of the version of the bill text associated with each selected key vote. Our summaries are written by Vote Smart's staff and interns, who adhere to our strict policies and procedures in order to guarantee absolute impartiality and accuracy. They do not necessarily reflect the content of the final version of the bill, but rather the version voted on in that stage. While many procedural votes take place before a full chamber vote, our voting stages reflect the final reading of each chamber vote. Each key vote selection is reviewed by the project's community of advisors, who are political scientists and journalists from all fifty states.

For more information about the legislative process, see here.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Jan. 27, 2006 WA Sub HB 2661 Expanding the Jurisdiction of the Human Rights Commission Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 23)
Jan. 25, 2006 VA SB 526 Defining Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11)
Jan. 23, 2006 SD SB 1 Mandatory Bodily Substance Samples in Drunk Driving Arrests Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
Dec. 21, 2005 National HR 2863 Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 44)
Dec. 21, 2005 National HR 2863 Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (93 - 0)
Nov. 15, 2005 National S Amdt 2524 Guantanamo Bay Detainees Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (84 - 14)
Nov. 15, 2005 National S Amdt 2523 Judicial Review of Detainees Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 54)
Nov. 10, 2005 National S Amdt 2516 Detainees at Guantanamo Bay Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (49 - 42)
Nov. 3, 2005 National S Amdt 2409 Targeted Case Management Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 52)
Nov. 3, 2005 National S Amdt 2400 Alaska Judicial Review of Oil Revenue Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
Oct. 20, 2005 National HR 3058 Transportation, Treasury, HUD and Judiciary Appropriation Bill Passed - Senate (93 - 1)
Oct. 7, 2005 National HR 2863 Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 0)
Sept. 29, 2005 National PN 801 Judge John G. Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court (78 - 22)
June 14, 2005 National PN 202 Thomas B. Griffith, Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Nomination Confirmed - Senate (73 - 24)
June 9, 2005 National PN 200 William H. Pryor, Jr., Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 45)
June 8, 2005 National PN 201 Janice R Brown, Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43)
May 25, 2005 National PN 194 Priscilla R. Owen, Fifth Circuit Judge Nomination Confirmed - Senate (55 - 43)
May 24, 2005 National PN 194 Priscilla R. Owen, Fifth Circuit Judge Cloture Invoked - Senate (81 - 18)
March 8, 2005 National S Amdt 47 Violent Protestor Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
Feb. 10, 2005 National S 5 Class Action Fairness Act of 2005 Bill Passed - Senate (72 - 26)
Feb. 3, 2005 National PN 12 Alberto R. Gonzales, Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (60 - 36)
April 22, 2004 National S 2329 Victims' Rights Bill Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 1)
March 2, 2004 National S 1805 Firearms Manufacturers Protection Bill Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 90)
Dec. 7, 2001 National S Amdt 2336 International Courts Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (78 - 21)
Oct. 5, 1999 National PN 49 Ronnie L. White, United States District Judge in Missouri Nomination Rejected - Senate (45 - 54)
July 15, 1999 National S Amdt 1250 Patient Lawsuit Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 47)
Sept. 18, 1998 National HR 1122 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill Veto Override Failed - Senate (64 - 36)
May 13, 1998 National S 1260 Securities Litigation Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 21)
March 31, 1998 National S Amdt 2168 Tobacco Immunity Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 19)
May 20, 1997 National HR 1122 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 36)
March 21, 1996 National HR 956 Product Liability bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 40)
Dec. 22, 1995 National HR 1058 Legal Reform bill Veto Override Passed - Senate (68 - 30)
Dec. 5, 1995 National HR 1058 Legal Reform bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (65 - 30)
June 28, 1995 National HR 1058 Legal Reform bill Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 30)
May 10, 1995 National HR 956 Product Liability bill Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37)
July 29, 1994 National PN 1399 Stephen G. Breyer, Associate Justice Nomination Confirmed - Senate (87 - 9)
June 29, 1994 National S 687 Product Liability Bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 41)
Aug. 3, 1993 National PN 422 Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice Nomination Confirmed - Senate (96 - 3)
Date No. Title Outcome
1/27 Sub HB 2661 Expanding the Jurisdiction of the Human Rights Commission Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 23)
1/25 SB 526 Defining Marriage Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 11)
1/23 SB 1 Mandatory Bodily Substance Samples in Drunk Driving Arrests Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
12/21 HR 2863 Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (56 - 44)
12/21 HR 2863 Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (93 - 0)
11/15 S Amdt 2524 Guantanamo Bay Detainees Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (84 - 14)
11/15 S Amdt 2523 Judicial Review of Detainees Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (44 - 54)
11/10 S Amdt 2516 Detainees at Guantanamo Bay Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (49 - 42)
11/03 S Amdt 2409 Targeted Case Management Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 52)
11/03 S Amdt 2400 Alaska Judicial Review of Oil Revenue Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (48 - 51)
10/20 HR 3058 Transportation, Treasury, HUD and Judiciary Appropriation Bill Passed - Senate (93 - 1)
10/07 HR 2863 Defense Department FY2006 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - Senate (97 - 0)
9/29 PN 801 Judge John G. Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court (78 - 22)
6/14 PN 202 Thomas B. Griffith, Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Nomination Confirmed - Senate (73 - 24)
6/09 PN 200 William H. Pryor, Jr., Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Nomination Confirmed - Senate (53 - 45)
6/08 PN 201 Janice R Brown, Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Nomination Confirmed - Senate (56 - 43)
5/25 PN 194 Priscilla R. Owen, Fifth Circuit Judge Nomination Confirmed - Senate (55 - 43)
5/24 PN 194 Priscilla R. Owen, Fifth Circuit Judge Cloture Invoked - Senate (81 - 18)
3/08 S Amdt 47 Violent Protestor Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (46 - 53)
2/10 S 5 Class Action Fairness Act of 2005 Bill Passed - Senate (72 - 26)
2/03 PN 12 Alberto R. Gonzales, Attorney General Nomination Confirmed - Senate (60 - 36)
4/22 S 2329 Victims' Rights Bill Bill Passed - Senate (96 - 1)
3/02 S 1805 Firearms Manufacturers Protection Bill Bill Failed - Senate (8 - 90)
12/07 S Amdt 2336 International Courts Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (78 - 21)
10/05 PN 49 Ronnie L. White, United States District Judge in Missouri Nomination Rejected - Senate (45 - 54)
7/15 S Amdt 1250 Patient Lawsuit Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (53 - 47)
9/18 HR 1122 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill Veto Override Failed - Senate (64 - 36)
5/13 S 1260 Securities Litigation Bill Passed - Senate (79 - 21)
3/31 S Amdt 2168 Tobacco Immunity Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (79 - 19)
5/20 HR 1122 Partial-Birth/Late-Term Abortion bill Bill Passed - Senate (64 - 36)
3/21 HR 956 Product Liability bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (59 - 40)
12/22 HR 1058 Legal Reform bill Veto Override Passed - Senate (68 - 30)
12/05 HR 1058 Legal Reform bill Conference Report Adopted - Senate (65 - 30)
6/28 HR 1058 Legal Reform bill Bill Passed - Senate (69 - 30)
5/10 HR 956 Product Liability bill Bill Passed - Senate (61 - 37)
7/29 PN 1399 Stephen G. Breyer, Associate Justice Nomination Confirmed - Senate (87 - 9)
6/29 S 687 Product Liability Bill Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (57 - 41)
8/03 PN 422 Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice Nomination Confirmed - Senate (96 - 3)

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